The Gambler

Opera Vlaanderen continues its fascinating exploration of Russian opera. 'The Gambler' (1915-­'16) was the first full-length work that Prokofiev wrote for musical theatre. The source of inspiration was the partially autobiographical novella by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, which, ironically enough, the illustrious author wrote to pay off gambling debts. And although the composer was working from a literary classic, his aim was to breathe new life into opera as a genre, moving away from the Russian opera tradition of the 19th century.